


Finger lengths

by Nival_Vixen



Series: Short & sweet tumblr-weed [33]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Complete, Derek Leaves, Hurt Stiles, Inspired by Music, M/M, Sad with a Happy Ending, Stiles Stilinski is Derek Hale's Anchor, Stiles-centric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-14
Updated: 2017-10-14
Packaged: 2019-01-17 05:23:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12358395
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nival_Vixen/pseuds/Nival_Vixen
Summary: Stiles finds a map and creates a straight line between them.





	Finger lengths

**Author's Note:**

> _I find a map and draw a straight line_  
>  _Over rivers, farms, and state lines_  
>  _The distance from A to where you’d be_  
>  _It’s only finger lengths that I see_  
> [Set fire to the third bar - Snow Patrol](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUiIwpzf368)  
>     
> I recommend listening to the song while reading.

Stiles has spent months searching, following soft whispers and vague hints, and he’s finally found him. Derek always said he’d come if Stiles called, but Stiles just... _can’t_. He can’t bring Derek back into this, he can’t get him involved again, not when he’s finally away, when he’s finally healing.

There’s not much that Stiles can do, drowning with the darkness around his heart, pulling him down under the water, filling his lungs and clouding his mind until the darkness is all he can feel, all he can see. He jumps at his own shadow and pretends he’s fine.

Still, Stiles has finally found where Derek is. He prints the map of the area, then the maps leading from Beacon Hills to Derek. His mind is silent as he tacks the pages to the walls, though his heart aches as he puts a pin and length of string from point A to B. Three full hand lengths and Stiles feels something crumble inside of him at the sight. It looked smaller on the computer, even though he knows the distance is even larger in real life.

His father doesn’t ask about the map, the string, or where it leads; Stiles is pretty sure he already knows. He puts a hand on Stiles’ shoulder and leads him to bed, and it’s only then that Stiles realises he’s been standing in front of the map for almost a full hour and he’s exhausted. He closes his eyes on the sight of the map, on the idea that Derek is far away and safe. The thought wraps around him like a warm embrace. It doesn’t last and he wakes up screaming, a nightmare of Derek bloodied and dying.

His hands are shaking as he goes downstairs for a glass of water. There’s a knock at the door and Stiles almost drops the glass, but is careful to set it down instead. He opens the door, his eyes widening when he sees who’s there. His nightmare feels like it’s still ongoing and he has to slam the door shut, counting his fingers once, twice, three times before he believes he’s awake. Derek is on the other side of his door, a few hand lengths away.

Hands trembling for another reason all together, Stiles opens the door. Derek looks at him, concern and relief obvious in his eyebrows. He steps forward until there’s only finger lengths between them.

“I said I’d come if you called,” Derek murmurs, then pulls Stiles in to his warm arms, no distance between them at all.

...

The end.

**Author's Note:**

> Also on [Tumblr](https://nivalvixen.tumblr.com/post/166384934947/finger-lengths).


End file.
